Page 17 of Bare Skin (Skin Deep 5)

T.J. shot her a sheepish grin, grabbed a plate and piled it high. He slid into the chair beside me that Hayden had just vacated, dragging her older brother, Jarrod, with her to play X-Box.

“What’s up, man?” he asked, clapping my shoulder as he dug in to his food.

“Nothin’ much, just working. Same old, same old. You?” I asked him in return.

“Same. Busy at the shop, especially with these two shirking their duties all the time,” he said jokingly, shaking a thumb at Luke and Brandon.

They both flipped him off, making everyone laugh again.

“So,” Chloe began. “T.J., have you heard about this new red-head that Calland’s got on the hook?”

T.J. turned his head to me. “Red-head?” His eyebrows raised appreciatively.

I sighed, but still nodded.

“Hot?” he asked.

I nodded again.

“Nice. Straight laced like the last little one you had? Or does this one have a personality?”

My sisters snorted and I glared at them, then shook my head at my mom as she tried to keep a straight face.

Leah answered. “Not straight laced, unless looks are deceiving. Tattooed and totally tempting, for sure. She’s gorgeous, and I honestly don’t know whether or not I even believe that he got anywhere with her. She had a hands-off sign blaring from every angle.”

Emma actually came to my defense. “No, I think he did get somewhere. And lemme tell ya, she’s got him rattled!”

That earned me a fist bump from T.J. and more razzing from my family.

Did I mention that I do love my family?

But, Jesus, do they drive me crazy!